Loving village move

Good move: Bob Dowdell, with daughter Jennifer Hall, said moving into aged care was a wonderful decision.

Shepparton senior was hesitant, but now enjoying aged care

It can be one of the toughest decisions to make when an elderly parent or relative is facing the prospect of transition into aged care.

However, for Shepparton's Bob Dowdell, 96, it turned out to be the best decision for him.

Mr Dowdell said he was initially reluctant to leave his home, but eventually he realised it would be for the best.

"I fought against it for a long time," he said.

"I said, 'don't ever put me into one of those places', but it's been the best thing that's happened to me. The staff are absolutely wonderful."

Mr Dowdell said the social scene at Shepparton Village's Banksia Lodge at Kialla Gardens was wonderful and he still led an active lifestyle, including doing some gardening, a favourite pastime.

Mr Dowdell said he had been on his own for five years after his wife died and he went through a period of illness.

Daughter Joy Rowston said that was when the family knew it was time to discuss the transition to aged care.

"He wasn't coping well and he wasn't eating well. It was just getting so hard with chores to do such as housework, even though he was really good at doing them," she said.

"It was just getting to be too much."

Mrs Rowston said the family had broached the subject gently.

"We opened up the conversation and we'd gotten some information about Shepparton Villages. We said we think you might enjoy this," she said.

"In the end, he was ready to go and he wanted to go."

Daughter Jennifer Hall said the family had always left the choice up to their father.

She said Shepparton Village's respite facility meant Mr Dowdell had an opportunity to try living there before moving in permanently.

"The staff here are very friendly and it's no trouble to come and visit Dad," she said.

"It's reassuring for us. We think his life has been extended since he came here."

Aged-care specialist and medical professional Nick McDonald said family members would often become primary caregivers, but often professional support was needed.

"Taking care of an elderly loved one can eventually place significant strain on the relationship, especially when the carer works full-time, has a young family, or when their parent faces worsening medical conditions, such as dementia," he said.

WARNING SIGNS

Indications an elderly loved one might need extra care:

Wandering: could include disoriented meandering and the risk of injury from wandering is high - from getting hit by a car or becoming lost, to dehydration and falls from the intense walking.

Skipping meals and medication: signs could include weight loss, out-of-date food left in the fridge and medication left in the pill dispenser.

Aggression: aggressive behaviour is a common symptom of dementia and it can be in the form of verbal, physical and sexual.

Unexplained bruises: could be from minor falls around the house, which may be remedied by the installation of handrails or ramps. However, this could be a symptom of something more serious, such as a stroke, blood pressure issues or memory problems.

Financial discrepancies: the elderly are commonly targeted for phishing scams, which can lead to significant financial loss.

Refusal to bathe or change clothes: this can be a sign they can no longer physically complete these everyday tasks and the stubbornness is often down to the loss of pride.

Drastic personality changes: could be in the form of sudden aggression or anger, paranoia that someone is out to get them, or even purchasing and hoarding unusual objects.

By Jenna Bishop

As published in the Shepparton News, Monday, February 24, 2014

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Shepparton Villages is a community-based, not-for-profit organisation providing high quality residential care, services and facilities. We are the prime residential Aged Care provider in the Hume Region.
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